Mama June’s Body Image Issues, Surgery and Weight Loss Transformation

A lot of people are dealing with weight loss issues and it even gets difficult with the constant body shaming. Most overweight or obese people have to deal with awkward looks from strangers or mock concern from family and friends. The truth is that losing weight isn’t an easy task and it’s even made more difficult with the constant body shaming. An overweight individual might continue to pile on more weight because of the stress that comes from being body conscious.

June Shannon, a television personality who is commonly known as Mama June is one person who struggled with weight loss. The TV personality who had a reality TV show – “Mama June: From Not to Hot” weighed at one point a total of 460 lbs. Although this show was meant to highlight the Mama June transformation, it gets cringe-worthy and there is a problematic scene about body image issues.

June’s daughter, Alana AKA Honey Boo Boo informed her mom that her father (June’s ex-husband) Sugar Bear was getting married. Many people are usually motivated to lose weight because of lifestyle changes, jobs, relationships etc. What motivated Mama June to want to lose weight and to get a “revenge body” through weight loss was Sugar Bear’s wedding. She even wanted to bring a date to this event.

Mama June got herself a guy from what appears to be a fake dating app interface and they meet at a local- buffet restaurant. However, it’s clear from the onset that this meetup is bound to fail. There is an indication that even if the date fails, June will have an unlimited amount of food to console herself with. Note that one way which can make people to gain weight, fail to manage weight or to lose weight is by comfort eating. Just like it was expected, the date went south and Mama June simply headed to the buffet and serves food including fried chicken. This episode was designed to be the fuel that she needs in order to undergo the weight-loss surgery i.e. the Gastric Sleeve Surgery.

How the Gastric Sleeve Surgery Works

A big portion of the stomach (about 80 percent) is usually cut out and then the remaining sleeve-like shape is attached together. Furthermore, parts of the stomach that are responsible for producing the hunger hormone i.e. ghrelin are usually removed and this normally results in reduced hunger and food cravings. The reduced stomach size, as well as the production of hunger hormones, means that the patient’s body will end up experiencing less calorie uptake. This creates a calorie deficit in the body leading to increased cell activity that results in the conversation of stored fat to fuel and therefore weight loss.

Note that gastric sleeve is a permanent irreversible process. Once it has been done there’s no going back. The reasons why this type of weight loss method is usually performed on obese people are that its effects are long-lasting and it helps to improve the quality of life by reducing symptoms of obesity-related diseases.

What Are the Cons of Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

The gastric sleeve provides the following benefits:

Reduced Hunger

The small stomach size and the reduced amounts of ghrelin mean that most patients will end up experiencing less hunger pangs. This helps to prevent emotional or comfort eating of junk foods.

Weight Loss

Although this surgery normally leads to significant weight loss, it usually spreads out over a period of time. This allows the body to adjust perfectly and adapt to the new changes. Looking at the Mama June transformation, she has lost about 300 lbs. since her surgery in 2016 and her body size has changed from size 18 to 4.

Experiencing the Full Benefits of Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Gastric Sleeve, just like other methods of weight loss is not a quick fix solution that offers instant results. The Mama June transformation was fully experienced when she also decided to do a full lifestyle change. She implemented a healthy diet plan and a workout routine to get a healthy life. Kenya Crooks, her personal trainer helped her to shed more than 80 lbs. in a period of three months. It’s therefore worth noting that in order for you to experience the full benefits of the gastric sleeve surgery, you need to reinforce it with a workout and a healthy diet.

Even after losing weight, overweight and obese people still struggle with another aspect of saggy loose skin. After the Mama June transformation, she became affected negatively both emotionally and physically. This is because it’s very difficult to dress a body which has a lot of saggy skin and this can lead to low self-esteem. However, she underwent a tummy tuck, breast augmentation and the excess skin around her neck was also removed.

Final Thoughts

Obesity can make a person to be body conscious and this normally has a negative impact on a person’s general wellbeing. Before the gastric sleeve surgery, Mama June hated her body but currently, she loves what’s on the inside and the outside.